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More than often, Martin Scorsese is cited as the best American director working today. After watching Goodfellas, one can see why. Only Raging Bull can rival it, in terms of breathtaking quality. Scorsese adapting from Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction novel Wiseguy (he helped write the screenplay), tells the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), an Irish kid who as far as back he could remember, always wanted to be a gangster. This film is a rush of energy, where all the elements come together brilliantly. Scorsese's use of music provides a strong template for the action; such tunes include Gimme Shelter, Rags to Riches, Beyond the Sea, and a brilliant piano version of Layla. Out of the performances (all of which are terrific), Pesci remains the most impressive. Playing Tommy DeVito, he walks a fine line between being funny and deadly serious. As well, the camera work and editing are superlative (as with Raging Bull); there is a memorable sequence that remains one long unbroken shot. Some people may be put off by the violence and coarse language, but it seems essential in this type of movie. It works better than sugar coating everything.Rating: **** (out of ****)
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